Ammunition container



y 23, 1944- G. w. O'HARE EI'AL 2,349,454

AMMUNITION CONTAI NER Filed Feb. 26, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented meant AWUNITION CONTAINER Harley,

We Ah'crait Corporation, a, corporation or Delaware Application February 26, 1941, Serial No. 380,608

' 2 Claims. 89-33) The present invention relates generally to ammunition containers. More particularly the invention relates to that type of ammunition container which is used or employed in connection or charged with greater facility and in a comparatively short time and is s'qdesigned or constructed that the cartridge belt feeds freely and without Jamming to the machinegun regardlws of the attitude of flight of the airplane with which it is associated.

Another object of the invention is to provide an ammunition container of the aforementioned type which is in the form of an elongated tube and is designed to form a permanentor fixed structural part of the airplane.

Another object of the invention is to provide an ammunition container of the last mentioned character in which the charging end thereof communicates with the exterior of the airplane and has a removable cover which follows and forms a continuation of the contour of the adiacent portions of the airplane and serves to cover the charging end of thejcontainer except during a loading operation. 1

Another object of the invention a to provid an ammunition container of the type and character under consideration in which the discharge end, i. e., the end from which the ammunition belt is fed to the machine gun, is of novel design and is so constructed that the iront end of the belt may be readily rinned and fed into the gun when the gun is prepared for use or service.

A further object of the invention is to provide a container which is generally of new and improved'construction and not only is light in weight but also is so designed and constructed that it may be produced at a comparatively low c Other objects of. the invention and the various advantages and characteristics of the present ammunition container and its charging means will be apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description.

The invention consists in the several features'which are hereinafter setiorth and are more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification or disclosure and in which like letters and numerals of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of an airplane wing having mounted therein a machine gun together with an ammunition container embodying the invention:

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section of the container illustrating in detail the manner in which it carries or supports the cartridge belt for feed to the machine gun;

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the construction and design of the chute that constitutes the means for introducing thecartridge belt into the container and illustrating the manner in which the chute isused or manipulated in connection with charging of the container; and

therein and serves as a retaining or holding.

medium for a cartridge belt B. The airplane wing A is of standard or conventional design and comprises a front longitudinally extending spar a, a rear longitudinally extending spar a and a series of laterally spaced cross ribs a. Such parts or elements of the wing are surrounded or covered by a skin a of metal or other material.

The inner-ends of the front and rear spars together with certain oi the innermost cross ribs define a compartment a for the machine gun G'. Access to this compartment is provided by way of an opening a in the'superincumbent or superiacent portion of the skin a. This opening is normally closed by a cover plate a which is removabiy secured in place by screws or other removable attaching means. The machine gun G is fixedly secured within the compartment a and extends transversely of the wing A. The barrel of the gun proiects'forwards and is aligned with, and designed to tire through, an aperture or holeu in'theleedingedgeofthewing. Thecross wow u have aligned rectangular openings a in .the central-portionsmeoL-i. e., the portions between front and spars a and a. The container isinthe to of an elongated upper extremity inan out or reverse curve.

a result of this the belt B with the cartridges 2' tube andis mounted in, and extends lengthwise of, the wing A. It extends through, and fits snugly within, the openings a in the central portions of the cross ribsa3 and comprises a. top

wall 5, a bottom wall 6, a pair of laterally spaced sidewalls 1 and an inner endwall 8. These walls are formed of plate or sheet metal and are welded or otherwise fixedly secured to ether.

The belt B when stored or' in place in the container is arranged in a zig-zag fashion'or manner, as shown in Figure 2 and is supported by the bottom wall 6 of the container when the airplane with which the wing A is associated is flying in a normal horizontal position. It is adapted tobe introduced into the container through the outer end of the latter, as hereinafter described, and is.of conventional design in that it comprises a series of clips which serve to hold, and are interlocked by, the cartridges. The container is riveted or otherwise fixedly secured to the portions of thecross ribs that define the openings a, and serves as one of the structural discharge end of the containerthat the strands of the belt, other than the strand nearest the top wall 5, can not become jammed in the inner end of the discharge guide IS in the event that the airplane with which the wing A is associated is flown upside down or at a sharp angle with respect to thehorizontal. The guide 13 extends in parallel relation to the container proper and projects in the direction of, and leads to, the feed box of the machine gun G (see Figures -1 and 2). The inlet end of the guide is joined to the top wall of the container at a point immediately next to the upper portion of the inner end wall 8 and is so shaped that the inlet opening therein is downwardly flared. The top wall of the guide [3 is provided with a longitudinally extending finger slot M. This slot intersects or communicates with a finger hole I5 in the inner or discharge end of the top wall 5. The flngei in the portion of the skin a. which is disposed directly above the charging end of the container and is normally closed by way of a coverplate 9. The outer ends of the top, bottom and side walls of the container are shaped to form a rec-, tangular flange l0 and this underlies the opening a and is riveted to the portion of the skin which defines such opening. The cover plate 9 corresponds in size to the opening a. and is adapted to rest on the flangelll and seat within or fill the opening a when it is in its closed or normal position. Screws H extend through aligned holes 12 in the cover plate 9 andthe flange l0 and serve releasably or removably to secure the cover plate in place. The cover plate is of such thickness and contour that when it is in place the outer face or surfacethereof follows and forms a continuation of the contour of the adjacent portions of theskin a of the wing.

When it is desired to charge the container the screws Ii are removed so as to release the cover plate 9. Thereafter the cover plate is removed in order to render accessible the flared upwardly extending charging end of the container. The outer end of the bottom wall 6 is curved up-- wards in a gradual manner and terminates at its As ment a and constitutes the discharge end, i. e.,-

the end from which the cartridge belt B is fed to the machine It is shaped or constructed as shown in Figure 2 and includes a substantially tubular discharge guide l3. The upper portion or the inner wall 8 extends outwardly, i. e., to-

wards the charging end of the container at an operation the cartridge belt B is laid in the chute angle of approximately 45 degrees with respect to the horizontal. As a result of the angular ar-' rangement or position of the upper portion of the innerend wall 8 there is an overhang which so overlies the bends of the cartridge belt at the hole l5 permits the. free end of the upper strand of the cartridge belt B to be gripped in connection with loading of the machine gun and the slot l4 permits the person loading the gun to move or feed such free end through the guide l3 to the feed box vof the machine gun. The guide I3 is located above the top wall with the result that the portion of the upper belt strand that is immediately beneath the finger hole I5 is separated from, or spaced above, the subjacent portion of the belt. Because of such arrangement of the aforesaid portion of the upper belt'strand drag of the upper strand is materially reduced and the belt feeds freely to the machine gun.

For the purpose of charging the container with the cartridge belt 13 a chute i6 is provided. This chute is of U-shaped cross section and consists of a flat bottom wall l1 and a pair of side walls I8. Said side walls are connected to, and pro ject upwardly from, the side margins of the bottom wall and have out-turned upper flanges I! for reenforcing purposes. The chute is adapted to hold the cartridge belt B before insertion-of the latter into the container. In connection with charging of the container the belt is slid from the chute into the container as illustrated in Figure 3.

. Charging of the container is efiected in, the

following manner: First the screws II are removed in order to free the cover plate 9. Thereafter the cover plate is removed from the opening a in the skin a of the wing A. After this IS in a zig-zag manner, 1. e., in such manner that it has a plurality of superposed strands with connecting bends at the ends of the strands. After loading or charging of the chute one end of the chute is aligned with the outer portion of the opening a. As soon as the chute is properly aligned the belt is slid bodily from the chute into the container. To facilitate sliding of the'cartridge belt from the chute a fork 20 is provided. This fork is used by inserting the prongs or tines between the last cartridges of .the strands and into straddled relation with the belt. Thereafter the handle is grasped and the fork is moved bodily along the chute. During such movement of the fork the belt is caused to slide froilrthe chute'into the container. When the belt is in place in the container the chute is removed and the cover plate 9 is inserted into the opening a and secured in place by the screws ll. After mounting of the cover plate the cover plate a lar discharge guide I 3 and into the feed box of the gun, as hereinbefore described. By reason of the fact that the guide I3 is disposed in the gun compartment the finger slot l4 and the finger hole l5 are accessible when the cover plate a is removed from the opening a The container,

as shown in Figure 6, is downwardly inclined in the direction of the inner end of the wing with the result that the strands, other than the topmost strand, move into engagement with the inner end wall 8 and are locked or held in place by the overhang which is formed by the upper angularly disposed portion of the wall.

The herein described ammunition container is simple as far as design and construction are con-- cerned and hence may be produced at a low and reasonable cost. It effectively and efiiciently fulfills its intended purpose and is characterized by the fact that it may be charged with facility and is so designed that there is a free feed of the belt to the gun. The container forms an integral or permanent part of the airplane with which it is associated and constitutes, as hereinbefore de scribed, a structural or reenforcing element for the airplane. It also provides for a maximum ammunition capacit with a minimum size feed hole in the outer or structural surface or the wing allowing for a lighter, more rigid wing structure.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth since these may be modified within the scope of: the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Fatent is:

1 In combination with an airplane wing embodying a series of laterally spaced cross ribs with alined openings therein and a skin around the ribs with a hole in one portion thereof, and having a. machine gun mounted therein, an ammunition container comprising an elongated tube for a cartridge belt, including rigidl connected top, bottom and side walls, extending through. and fitting snugly within, said openings in the ribs, serving also as a structural or reinforcing part of the wing, having one end thereof open and curved, and in registry and connected relation with the hole defining portion of the skin in order to permit the belt to be inserted into the tube interior from the exterior of the wing, and having its other end provided with a belt guide leading to and terminating adjacent the machine gun, and a removable cover plate for said one end of the tube, shaped conformably to, and fitting removably within, the hole in the skin and forming a part of the wing skin when it is in its normal or operative position.

2. In combination with an airplane wing embodying a seriesof laterally spaced cross ribs with aligned openings therein and a skin around the ribs and with an opening in the top portion thereof, and having a transversely extending panel closed compartment and a machine gun mounted in said compartment, an ammunition container comprising an elongated tube for a cartridge belt, including rigidly connected top, bottom and side walls, extending through, and fitting snugly within, said openings in the ribs, serving also as a structural or reenforcing part of the wing, having one end thereof open, flared and curved upwards, and in registry and connected relation with the hole defining part of the top portion of the wing skin in order to permit the belt to be inserted into the tube interior from the exterior of the wing, and having'its other end provided with a belt guide projecting into the compartment and terminating adjacent the machine gun, and a removable cover plate shaped comformably to, and serving to close, said hole in the upper portion of the wing skin.

GEORGE W. OHARE. CONRAD HARLEY. 

